The Epics of Celtic Ireland
Ancient Tales of Mystery and Magic
Jean Markale
Published by Inner Traditions, 2000
Some of the most powerfully moving tales in Western literature are to be
found in the epics of Celtic Ireland. Heroes and heroines like Finn Mac
Cool, Grainne, and Cuchulainn are now familiar names, and their exploits
have even been novelized for the contemporary reader. But the value of these
stories extends far beyond mere entertainment. In Celtic myth the adventure
of a hero and a warrior is not only an instinctive search for answers to the
great human metaphysical problems, but also a palpable, even sensual experience.
The dividing line between sacred and profane is forever shifting in ways
that can be shocking, if not incomprehensible, to a person accustomed to the
logical systems based on classical thought.
Distrustful of the written word, Celtic druids forbade anything
involving their tradition from being put into writing. However, Christian monks
chose to preserve all they could of the oral tradition on paper. Unfortunately,
they did not hesitate to alter what they couldn't comprehend, or what their
Christian sensibilities found shocking. In this collection of some of the most
important narratives in the rich Irish tradition, Jean Markale restores these
texts to their original form and reveals how the Celtic spirit is on the verge
of reclaiming its rights.
Jean Markale (1928-2008), poet, philosopher, historian, and storyteller,
was a specialist in Celtic studies at the Sorbonne. He wrote more than
forty books about Celtic civilization, particulary the place of women in Celtic
culture, including Women of the Celts and Cathedral of the Black Madonna.
(The text above comes from the back of the book)